Boot-jacks

ABSTRACT

A monolithic jack ( 12 ) of sheet-like form ( 28 ) for removing ski-boots ( 14 ) having a rear shoulder ( 16 ), comprises a plate-like base ( 18 ) and two engagement means ( 20 ) each adapted to engage over a shoulder ( 16 ) of, and having a recess ( 202 ) to accommodate the heel ( 22 ) of, a respective one of a pair of the boots ( 14 ) when placed side by side on the base ( 18 ) in front of the means ( 20 ) which are to the rear of base ( 18 ) and face forwards. The member ( 28 ) is of metal, e.g. steel, or injection-moulded of thermoplastic plastics material, comprising a polycarbonate, with ABS or PETG. The base ( 18 ) has a non-slip upper surface portion ( 32 ), and comprises security means, e.g. aperture means ( 34 ), so it can be secured by screws to the floor. The base ( 18 ) also has a handle ( 36 ) for hanging up the jack ( 12 ). Integral strut means ( 38 ), to enable elevation of jack ( 12 ) to an angled position, are hinged at points ( 42 ), retracting into slots ( 44 ) in the bottom of base ( 18 ), and provided with stops ( 46 ) to prevent them from opening out too far. For carrying, jack ( 12 ) can be folded across its length at a hinge ( 50 ) or formed as two parts ( 183, 184 ), mutually identical, interengageable along its length by press-fit or slide-fit, by tongue-and-groove means ( 52, 54 ), with a connecting and/or reinforcing member ( 562 ) accommodated in recess means ( 561 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to boot-jacks, that is jacks for removing bootsor like footwear.

BACKGROUND

Known jacks for use in removing ski-boots are awkward to use.

THE INVENTION

The present inventor has realised that the awkwardness with prior jacksis that, to remove both boots, difficult movements, positions andchanges of position are required, and this can be ameliorated by, ineffect combining two jacks, one for each foot.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a jack foruse in removing one's feet from a pair of boots or other footwear items,each having a rearward, upward-facing shoulder, the jack comprising abase portion upon which the footwear items encasing the feet can beplaced side by side, and two engagement means arranged side by sidetowards the rear of the base portion, each adapted to engage over a saidshoulder of a respective said item placed as aforesaid to the front ofthe engagement means, the base portion and both engagement meanstogether being of a sheet-like form with the engagement means having theform of being bent up from the base portion.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a jackfor use in removing one's feet from a pair of boots or other footwearitems, each having a rearward, upward-facing shoulder, the jackcomprising a base portion upon which the footwear items encasing thefeet can be placed side by side, and two engagement means arranged sideby side to the base portion, each adapted to engage over a said shoulderof a respective said item placed as aforesaid to the front of theengagement means, and each being spaced a substantial distance from thefront of the base portion whereby a foot in one said item can be used tohold down the base portion while the other foot is pulled up to removeit from the other said item, the base portion and both engagement meanstogether being of a sheet-like form with the engagement means having theform of being bent up from the base portion.

Each engagement means is adapted to engage over a said shoulder. This isto engage over a shoulder of a respective one of a pair, of said bootsor other footwear, when placed on said base. The rearward shoulder (i.e.to the rear) of e.g. a ski-boot faces backwards, so that the engagementmeans for this embodiment face forwards.

The jack may have any one or more of the following features:

-   -   the base is plate-like.    -   the engagement means define a recess directed towards the        location for the footwear to fit over a said shoulder. This        arrangement is adapted for the two feet to be placed        substantially parallel to each other, rather than with the two        feet pointing in divergent directions.    -   the recess is curved to accommodate the heel of the footwear.    -   the recess is substantially semicircular.    -   the engagement means have rounded corners.    -   the engagement means are plate-like.    -   a single monolithic member comprises said base and said        engagement means.    -   said member is of sheet-like form.    -   said form has a U-shape with a long arm to provide said base and        a short arm to provide said engagement means.    -   said member is of metal, e.g. steel.    -   said member is of plastics material, e.g. moulded.    -   said member is of thermoplastic plastics material.    -   said material comprises polycarbonate.    -   said material comprises ABS (acrilonitrile-butadiene styrene).    -   said material comprises PETG (polyethylene terephthalate        glycol), e.g. with a 70% admixture of polycarbonate.    -   said member is injection-moulded and/or is made by        thermoforming.    -   said base has a non-slip upper surface portion.    -   comprising security means.    -   comprising floor-fixing means.    -   said floor-fixing means comprise aperture means in said base.    -   the base has a handle at an end opposite to the engagement        means.    -   the handle is suitable to use as means by which to hang up the        jack.    -   the handle is formed in the sheet-like form    -   comprising means to enable elevation of the jack to an angled        position to enable seated removal of the footwear. Such means        may be integral with the jack or a separate means, e.g. a wedge,        forming part of a kit of parts therewith.    -   the width of said base is substantially equal to that of a pair        of said footwear placed side by side.    -   the width of said base is in the range of from 15 to 30 cm.    -   the width of said base is in the range of from 20 to 25 cm.    -   which has a length equal to substantially the length of the        intended footwear. Alternatively, it is possible to have it        substantially shorter, down to about half this length, and still        be able to use it by pressing with one heel (instead of with one        whole foot) to release the other boot.    -   it can be folded, preferably across its length, to facilitate        (e.g. by reducing its size) portability.    -   it is formed as (preferably two) interengageable parts that can        be disengaged to facilitate portability.    -   in which said parts have tongue-and-groove means by which they        can be interengaged. These means may extend transversely of the        jack but preferably extend longitudinally. They may be a        press-fit, so that the parts engage by being pressed together,        or a slide fit if the means extend only along a straight stretch        of the base.    -   said parts are substantially identical, e.g. to facilitate        manufacture.    -   comprises connecting means to interconnect said parts, which        means is part of connecting and/or reinforcing means which        comprise recess means to accommodate a connecting and/or        reinforcing member and such member.

Another aspect of the invention provides any such jack in combinationwith a pair of footwear items intended for use with the jack. This maybe a jack in which the spacing between said base portion and a saidengagement means is substantially equal to the distance between a saidshoulder and the bottom of the adjacent part of the respective saidfootwear item.

Another aspect of the invention provides a jack member comprising a baseportion and engagement means arranged to the rear of the base portion,the base portion and engagement means together being of a sheet-likeform with the engagement means having the form of being bent up from thebase portion, and connecting means to connect the jack member side byside to another such member to form any such jack as aforesaid. This canbe used for removing boots or other footwear having a heel with anupward and backward facing shoulder.

Such a member may have any one or more of the following features:

-   -   said connecting means comprise part of tongue-and-groove means.    -   said connecting means comprise part of tongue-and-groove means        along one side of said base and a complementary-shaped part of        such tongue-and-groove means along an opposite side of said        base.    -   said connecting means is part of connecting and/or reinforcing        means which comprise recess means to accommodate a connecting        and/or reinforcing member.

Another aspect of the invention provides a kit of parts for any suchjack, comprising a pair of jack members, each being a jack member asaforesaid.

jack comprising a pair of jack members each separately as aforesaid.

A further aspect of the invention provides a jack comprising a pair ofjack members each separately as aforesaid and a connecting and/orreinforcing member adapted to be accommodated by both members at once tohold them together.

In preferred embodiments:

-   -   The base, e.g. as a plate, is made sufficiently wide and long to        allow the user to stand with both feet on the jack (wearing a        pair of the footwear) whilst using the pressure, or weight of        the body, on one foot to hold down the jack and allow leverage        (opposed forces, down and up respectively, by the two feet) by        the wearer to pull the other foot out of its boot, shoe or other        footwear. The rear hook-like form of the engagement means or        grip has an elevation allowing enough height for the shoulder of        a boot, shoe or other footwear heel to be inserted therein to be        engaged or gripped. The hook-like grip has two curved insets (to        provide the respective engagement means) cut out to allow the        back of the boot, shoe or other footwear to be gripped for extra        stability when leveraging the foot out of the same. The base        plate and rounded grip are made out of a single piece,        preferably a single moulding, to allow for increased durability        and reduced complexity in manufacturing. The surface of the base        plate is made non-slip to avoid accidents. There is a hole to        provide a handle to facilitate portability. There may be        provided a retractable, integrated or separate frame, member or        other means to enable angled positioning of the base (with the        back lower than the front) to facilitate seated boot removal if        required. There may be provided a fixing mechanism to allow the        device to be fixed to the floor if required, for security        purposes and/or to aid the leverage.    -   Although primarily designed for ski boots, the jack device can        be used more broadly for walking boots, wellingtons and        shoes—the dimensions may change slightly.    -   The device is thus used to assist in the removal of boots or        shoes but mainly ski boots, using double U-shaped insets on the        raised rear ridge of the device to grip the heel of the boot or        shoe, whilst applying downward pressure on the footplate with        one foot, to allow the other foot to be leveraged from the boot        or shoe. This is a mobile (portable) device which is mainly used        when the wearer is standing. The device can also or        alternatively be used for seated boot or shoe removal (i.e. when        the wearer is sitting), e.g. in an angled position, or fixed to        the floor for security (or added leverage) if required. For        seated removal, wedge-shaped or other means are utilised to        support the toe end of the device raised above its heel end.    -   The device has two U-shaped insets instead of one. It can have a        full foot plate for stability, allowing removal from each foot        by just bending the knee and leaning forward onto the        weight-bearing other foot. It uses weight applied by one foot to        leverage the other foot out of the boot, with the position of        one foot possibly being slightly in front of the other. It is        simpler and less technical to manufacture than prior jacks and        can therefore be cheaper. It is basically a portable/mobile        device, that does not need to be fixed to the floor but can be        if this is required, e.g. for security purposes. It allows for        space on the base plate to enable the feet to be placed one foot        slightly in front of the other during operation, for extra        stability.    -   A retractable, integrated or separate frame or other means may        be used for elevation to an angled position to enable seated        boot (or other footwear) removal.    -   The material used for the jack should be a durable, light        material enabling a single mould to be used to form the main        device, allowing for portability and ease of production. The        material and/or design have to be suitable for the device to        withstand the envisaged stresses. Because of the upward stress        on the rear curve, the device (or at least the curved part        thereof) may need to be re-inforced, e.g. lined (e.g. inside the        curve) with a suitable metal, e.g. steel, to prevent the device        from fracturing at the curve; it should preferably then be        coated with plastics. Also, the material should be washable for        ease of maintenance and hygiene.

Without using this jack (i.e. not according to the invention), thefollowing method would be used to remove a ski boot:

-   -   Loosen all clips and bindings    -   Lever forward the front lip of the boot    -   Press down with the hand on the back, upward-facing lip of the        boot    -   Leverage foot forward and up—which often requires twisting your        back into an uncomfortable position if executed whilst standing    -   Or sitting down, crossing legs and pushing the back of the boot        away from the calf to lever the foot out of the boot.

The present embodiments enable one to take the boot off without havingto apply the pressure with the hand to the back of the boot, which oftenrequires twisting one's back into an uncomfortable position, whilstleveraging the knee forward and the foot upwards, and therefore allowone just to bend forward after the foot has been extracted and removethe boot from the device.

A further aspect of the invention provides a method of removing a pairof boots or other footwear items each having a rearward, upward-facingshoulder, in which method there is used a jack comprising a base portionand two engagement means arranged to the rear of the base portion, thebase portion and both engagement means together being of a sheet-likeform with the engagement means having the form of being bent up from thebase portion, said items are placed side by side on the jack and eachengagement means is engaged over a said shoulder and the foot pulled outof that item of the pair.

A further aspect of the invention provides a method of removing a pairof boots or other footwear items each having a rearward, upward-facingshoulder, in which method there is used a jack comprising a base portionand two engagement means arranged to the rear of the base portion, thebase portion and both engagement means together being of a sheet-likeform with the engagement means having the form of being bent up from thebase portion, said items are placed side by side on the jack to thefront of the engagement means and each engagement means in turn isengaged over a said shoulder of a respective said item and the footpulled out of that item of the pair while pressing against the baseportion with the other foot.

While each engagement means in turn is engaged over a said shoulder andthe foot pulled out of that item of the pair, this is preferably donewhile holding down the jack by means of the other foot placed on saidbase. Preferably, the feet are placed side by side on said base for theextraction. Preferably, the extraction of each foot is performed withoutthe use of the hands, e.g. using a wall or car boot to lean on or forextra support. Preferably, the total extraction of both feet isperformed without the use of the hands, apart from possibly to removefrom the base an item of said pair from which its foot has beenextracted. Alternatively, the two engagement means are usedsimultaneously, and the jack is held down by some other means, e.g. bythe hands (e.g. by using ski-sticks) or by a connection to the floor,e.g. with floor bolts, and e.g. each foot is withdrawn in turn from itsfootwear.

PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION RELATING TO THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a side view of the FIG. 1 embodiment, in use;

FIG. 1B is a side view of the FIG. 1 embodiment, in a tilted positionfor seated withdrawal;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a variation of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are partial and complete side views of the FIG. 3embodiment showing how it may be collapsed for carrying;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another variation of the FIG. 1embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a partial side view of the FIG. 7 embodiment showing how itmay be assembled.

Referring to the drawings, the dimensions 10, 30, 40, 60, 70, 100, 240,340 are 10, 30, 40, 50, 70, 100, 240, 340 mm respectively.

A jack 12 for removing ski-boots 14 having a rearward, upward-facingshoulder 16, comprises a base 18 and two engagement means 20 eachadapted to engage over a said shoulder 16 of a respective one of a pairof said boots 14 when placed on said base 18. The rearward shoulder 16,i.e. to the rear of the ski-boot 14 faces backwards, so that theengagement means 20 face forwards.

The boots 14 each have a heel 22 with an upward and backward facingshoulder 16. Feet encased in the footwear 14 can be located side by sideon the base 18, as seen in FIG. 2, and two engagement means 20, 20engage over said shoulders 16 and are mounted side by side to the base18, facing towards the location for the footwear 14.

The base 18 is plate-like. The engagement means 20 define a recess 202directed (opening) towards the location 24 for the footwear 14, in orderto fit over a said shoulder 16. This arrangement is adapted, as seen inFIG. 2, for the two feet placed in footwear items 14, 14 to be placedsubstantially parallel to each other, rather than with the two feetpointing in divergent directions. The recess 202 is curved toaccommodate the heel 22 of each item 14. The recess 202 is substantiallysemicircular. The engagement means 20 are plate-like; they may haverounded corners 26, FIG. 3, the rounded corners of being of very smallradius, e.g. 2-3 mm, to avoid sharp corners that could damage theski-boots, since the larger the radius the less effective the grip onthe boot by means 20. The jack 12 is formed so that a single monolithicmember 28 comprises said base 18 and said engagement means 20. Themember 28 is of sheet-like form. This form has a U-shape (as seenclearly in FIGS. 1A and 6) with a long arm 18 to provide said base 18and a short arm 20 to provide said engagement means 20. Said member 28is of injection-moulded of thermoplastic plastics material, comprising apolycarbonate. Preferably, said material comprises ABS(acrilonitrile-butadiene styrene) or PETG (polyethylene terephthalateglycol) with a substantial, e.g. 70%, admixture of polycarbonate.

Said base 18 has a non-slip upper surface portion 32, and comprisessecurity means 34 in the form of floor-fixing means 34 comprisingaperture means 34 in said base whereby base 18 can be secured by screws(not shown) to the floor (not shown). The base 18 also has a handle 36at its end opposite to the engagement means 20. The handle 36 issuitable to use as means 36 by which to hang up the jack 12. The jack 12comprises means 38 to enable elevation of the jack 12 to an angledposition, as shown in FIG. 1B, to enable seated removal of the footwear14. As shown, such means 38 are integral with the jack 12, being in theform of sturdy struts 38, preferably of metal or the same hard plasticsmaterial as the rest of the device 12, hinged at points 42 to base 18,retracting into slots 44 in the bottom of base 18, and provided withstops 46 to prevent them from opening out too far from base 18.

The width 240 of said base 18 is substantially equal to that of a pairof said footwear 14 placed side by side, as seen in FIG. 2, which issubstantially to scale, which also shows that jack 12 has a length 340equal to substantially the length of the intended footwear.

Jack 12, FIG. 3, can be folded across its length in order to facilitate(by reducing its size) portability of jack 12. For this purpose, base 18has a split 48, seen more clearly in FIG. 4, and a hinge 50 (which mayalternatively be formed integrally as a folding portion of the materialof base 18 if this material has suitable properties) joining togetherthe resulting two parts 181 and 182 of base 18 so that part 182 can befolded down, initially as seen in FIG. 5 and then to the position seenin FIG. 6 for carrying.

Alternatively, jack 12, FIG. 7 is formed as two interengageable parts183, 184 that can be disengaged to facilitate portability. These parts183, 184 have tongue-and-groove means 52, 54, see more clearly in FIG.8, by which they can be interengaged. These parts 183, 184 extendlongitudinally of the jack 12, including its curved portion that formsengagement means 20. For this purpose, tongue 52 can be pressed sidewaysinto groove 54 so that parts 183, 184 are a press-fit, i.e. the parts183, 184 mutually engage by being pressed together sideways.Alternatively, if tongue-and-groove means 52, 54 extend only along astraight stretch of the base, from the toe end 185 to point 186, theycan be slid together longitudinally to form a slide-fit. Said parts 183,184 are made mutually identical in order to facilitate manufacture.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 3 to 8, the jack 12 also comprisesconnecting and/or reinforcing means 56 to interconnect said parts 181,182 or 183, 184, which means 56 comprise a connecting and/or reinforcingmember 562 and recess means 561 to accommodate member 562.

The jack 12 may be sold in combination with a pair of footwear 14 to usewith the jack 12.

The jack member 183 or 184 (for use in removing boots or other footwear14 having a heel 22 with an upward- and backward-facing shoulder 16)comprises a base 18 upon which a foot encased in the footwear 14 can beplaced, and heel-gripping means 20 mounted to the base 18, the member183 or 184 having means 52, 54 to connect it side by side to anothersuch member 184 or 183, respectively to form a jack 12 as describedabove in relation to FIG. 7. Said connecting means 52, 54 comprise part52 of tongue-and-groove means 52, 54 along one side of said base 18 anda complementary-shaped part 54 of such tongue-and-groove means 52, 54along an opposite side of said base 18. Preferably, said connectingand/or reinforcing means 52, 54, 56 comprise recess means 561 toaccommodate connecting and/or reinforcing member 562. The member 562 isadapted to be accommodated by both members 183, 184 at once to hold themtogether as well as re-inforce the combination of held-together members183, 184. Thus, the jack 12 may be sold in the form of a kit of partscomprising a pair of jack members 183, 184.

Thus, there is employed a method of removing a pair of boots or otherfootwear items 14 each having a rearward, upward-facing shoulder 16, inwhich method there is used a jack 12 comprising a base 18 and twoengagement means 20, and each engagement means 20 in turn is engagedover a said shoulder 16 (by placing each boot 14 in turn with its heel22 in to one or other recess 202 of engagement means 20 so that itsshoulder 16 engages under the edge defining recess 202) and the footpulled out of that item 14 of the pair. This is done while holding downthe jack 12 by means of the other foot placed on said base 18. The feetare placed side by side on said base 18 for the extraction. Theextraction of each foot is performed without the use of the hands; andthe total extraction of both feet is performed without the use of thehands, apart from possibly to remove from the base 18 an item 14 of saidpair from which its foot has been extracted.

1. A jack for use in removing one's feet from a pair of boots or otherfootwear items, each having a rearward, upward-facing shoulder, the jackcomprising a base portion upon which the footwear items encasing thefeet can be placed side by side, and two engagement means arranged sideby side towards the rear of the base portion, each adapted to engageover a said shoulder of a respective said item placed as aforesaid tothe front of the engagement means, the base portion and both engagementmeans together being of a sheet-like form with the engagement meanshaving the form of being bent up from the base portion.
 2. A jack foruse in removing one's feet from a pair of boots or other footwear items,each having a rearward, upward-facing shoulder, the jack comprising abase portion upon which the footwear items encasing the feet can beplaced side by side, and two engagement means arranged side by side tothe base portion, each adapted to engage over a said shoulder of arespective said item placed as aforesaid to the front of the engagementmeans, and each being spaced a substantial distance from the front ofthe base portion whereby a foot in one said item can be used to holddown the base portion while the other foot is pulled up to remove itfrom the other said item, the base portion and both engagement meanstogether being of a sheet-like form with the engagement means having theform of being bent up from the base portion.
 3. A jack as claimed inclaim 1, in which said form has a U-shape with a long arm to providesaid base portion and a short arm to provide said engagement means.
 4. Ajack as claimed in any one of claims 1, in which a single monolithicmember comprises both of said engagement means.
 5. A jack as claimed inclaim 4, in which said member is continuous across from one saidengagement means to the other.
 6. A jack as claimed in any one of claims1, in which a single monolithic member comprises said base portion andsaid engagement means.
 7. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1, inwhich the base portion has a handle at an end opposite to the engagementmeans.
 8. A jack as claimed in claim 7, in which the handle is suitableto use as means by which to hang up the jack.
 9. A jack as claimed inclaim 8, in which the handle is formed in the sheet-like form.
 10. Ajack as claimed in any one of claims 1, which can be folded tofacilitate portability.
 11. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1, incombination with a pair of footwear items intended for use with thejack.
 12. A jack as claimed in claim 11, in which the spacing betweensaid base portion and a said engagement means is substantially equal tothe distance between a said shoulder and the bottom of the adjacent partof the respective said footwear item.
 13. A method of removing a pair ofboots or other footwear items each having a rearward, upward-facingshoulder, in which method there is used a jack comprising a base portionand two engagement means arranged to the rear of the base portion, thebase portion and both engagement means together being of a sheet-likeform with the engagement means having the form of being bent up from thebase portion, said items are placed side by side on the jack and eachengagement means is engaged over a said shoulder and the foot pulled outof that item of the pair.
 14. A method as claimed in claim 13, in whichsaid items are placed side by side on the jack to the front of theengagement means and each engagement means in turn is engaged over asaid shoulder of a respective said item and the foot pulled out of thatitem of the pair while pressing against the base portion with the otherfoot.